Album of the Day

From Rick Griffin's distinctive cover art to AOXOMOXOA, it was clear that the third Grateful Dead album was a strange trip (though not a long one; only two of the eight songs broke the 5-minute mark). Cut on home territory far from the prying eyes of Warner Bros. staffers, the 1969 release captures the San Francisco band at their most experimental on the epic “What's Become Of The Baby,” though the album also hinted at the traditional acoustic sounds the Dead would soon explore in the folk-based “Dupree's Diamond Blues.” The set marks the emergence of lyricist Robert Hunter as Jerry Garcia's primary songwriting partner, and their “St. Stephen” and “China Cat Sunflower” would become concert staples. The latter song kicked off the final Grateful Dead show in Chicago this month; as we bid fare thee well to the legendary group, we'll give AOXOMOXOA one more spin...